50mm f/1.4 options for the M mount.

[goamules]

Compared to your 1.1 Nokton, the Canon 50/1.4 LTM will have less resolution at all f stops. It's single coated and quite sensitive to flare and barrel distorts noticeably. Also, at medium f-stops (2.0 and 2.8) the aperture has "Spikes" which you will see in the pictures in the OOF. And due to over correction you'll see slight donut oof ellipses wide open with high lights in the back ground.

I've cleaned several of them, they are mostly made of aluminum and Bakelite (spell?), and a couple of smaller brass rings.

...

...mostly made of bakelite and aluminum? Can you tell me what parts besides the knurled focus ring is not brass? The entire body appears to be chromed brass to me. The important helical is pure brass. But what's wrong with aluminum anyway? Most lenses are aluminum for the past 40 years. Are not Noktons?

But you are comparing a modern, computer designed Voigtlander to a 1956 Canon, from the era of Elvis and cars with Fins? We should just stop here, and realize these lenses are generations apart. The Canon costs about 1/4 to 1/3 the Voigtlander, so for someone on a budget, it may work out for them. The OP didn't sound like he was on a budget though, he was on a quest for something better than a new, leading lens. I think that will be hard, and the old Canon won't do it, on retrospect.

 

[furcafe]

Interesting, mine doesn't have any problem collapsing on the 240 or 246 (nor did it on the M8/9). Wonder if it's due to sample variation or redesign (not sure if they made enough to go through more than 1)?

WRT Hex 50/2.4, Raid, my copy is sharp, but unfortunately it can not be collapsed on the 240 (hits the RF cam). Not sure about the M9. So you might want to keep avoiding it.

 

[segedi]

I have just one 50mm lens for Leica, the Summilux ASPH (latest 6-bit). And that's all I need as I prefer the rendering of that to any other M-mount lens I own!

 

[jim0266]

Here's the problem with the Leica Lux ASPH: Finding a good one for digital.

I currently own a 50/1.4 pre-ASPH and an Elmar 50/2.8, the last version. Now I'm shooting a digital M the focus shift is driving me a little crazy. I made the mistake of renting the 50 Lux ASPH from Lensrentals. That convinced me I wanted one. I like the idea of a fast 50 complimented by a small, light 50 like the Elmar.

After looking at several options I went for a used mint version produced before Leica started bit coding the lenses, meaning it was pre-2006 lens. The focus was sticky and the lens was off at close distances. I sent it back.

Contacted another dealer and had them send me two lenses. One was perfect at closed distances (no focus shift) and the other was off. After further testing of what I thought was the good lens I compared images from the Lensrental copy. This lens was off in the top-right, noticeably, when shot at 5.6. The other lens was perfect here. Both of these lenses are on their way back to the dealer.

I contacted a well-know Leica writer/reviewer on this issue. He had a perfect 50/1.4 ASPH he sold to a friend. he later bought another 50/1.4, figuring they were all the same. 6 lenses later he gave up, never finding one that satisfied him.

Had I not seen what the seemingly perfect copy Lensrentals sent me I might have been satisfied with the one that was perfect close in and not noticed the problem at mid distances.

If I'm going to pay $3K for this lens it better be perfect. Otherwise I may finally end up with a Planar or Cron and call it a day.

 

[pepeguitarra]

50mm f/1.4?

50mm f/1.4?

If not the Leica Summilux, the Nikkor SC 50mm f1.4. I got one here at the form few months ago, and it is always on my M9/M8. More than my Summicrons.

MasterGardenersPruning32-1 by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr




Look, over there! by Palenquero Photography, on Flickr

 

[Huss]

The new Lomo Jupiter 3+ 50mm 1.5 is a great option at $650.

Check out the sample images on the microsite at lomography.com

 

[pepeguitarra]

http://shop.lomography.com/en/jupiter-3-plus

This seems to be the correct link. Don't click on it, it will not work. Just copy and paste it on the browser.